picfest 2016

Orchestra Hall

Andrea is thrilled to serve as composer-in-residence for a fantastic new festival with CODA

“Andrea Ramsey is one of those rare individuals whose very presence inspires. Her effervescent spirit, gracious demeanor and zest for all that's 'good' in life is not only reflected through her personality, but through the music she writes and ensembles she conducts. The world needs more people like her and certainly the music profession benefits from her talents."

Dr. Eph Ehly, Choral Conductor and Clinician, Professor Emeritus, Conservatory of Music & Dance, University of Missouri-Kansas City

Abbreviated Biography

Andrea Ramsey

Dr. Andrea Ramsey is a composer, conductor, and music educator. Her teaching experiences range from work with adolescent and children’s voices to frequent guest conducting of all-state and honor choirs, to her current position as the Associate Director of Choral Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder. An ASCAPlus award-winning composer, Andrea has over 70 published choral works in print. A native of Arkansas, she is an active member of ACDA, ASCAP, and NAfMe, and believes strongly in the positive impact created through the performance of meaningful choral music.

Andrea Ramsey

Composer, conductor-teacher, and presenter, Dr. Andrea Ramsey is assistant professor of conducting and associate director of choral studies at the University of Colorado in Boulder. A native of Arkansas, Andrea has considerable teaching experience with children's, public school, and university choruses.

A frequent guest conductor for all-state and honor choruses, Dr. Ramsey's 2015-2016 calendar includes conducting engagements in Mississippi, Texas, Kansas, Virginia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, and South Carolina. As a presenter, Andrea has presented for the 6th Annual Symposium on Sociology in Music Education, The Phenomenon of Singing Symposium in Newfoundland, Canada, and national, divisional and state conferences of the American Choral Directors Association.

An ASCAPlus award-winning composer, Dr. Ramsey has over 70 works in print with traditional publishers such as Alliance, Boosey & Hawkes, Carl Fischer, Colla Voce, Hal Leonard, GIA, Pavane, Santa Barbara, and Walton. She is also venturing into digital publishing via web-based composer marketplace (www.musicspoke.com). A teacher at heart, Dr. Ramsey enjoys collaborations with singers through residencies, and has close ties to the Allegro Choirs of Kansas City, and has also enjoyed composer-in-residence experiences with the Crescent City Choral Festival in New Orleans, and the Choral Music Experience at Ithaca College.

Commissioning a New Work

Commissioning a new work can be a dynamic and invigorating experience:

Breathe first life into a completely original composition

Stretch yourself as a conductor to interpret and create from scratch

Add to the body of repertoire for choral conductors and singers

Allow your audience to hear a work never before performed

Treat your singers to an inside-out experience and connection with a living, breathing composer

Consider combining with other choirs to commission a new work as a consortium and save on cost

As an educator and conductor, the selection of high quality repertoire of substance is one of the greatest foundational factors of success. Dr. Ramsey's compositions provide content that is musically satisfying in technical concepts and elicits aesthetic response. She chooses texts care-fully and sets them so they work for the singer and the listener.

Dr. Julie Yu
Co-Director of Choral Activities
Kansas State University

Commissioning A New Work

What does it cost?

Before providing a cost estimate, Andrea gathers a complete understanding of what the commissioning choir and/or conductor is looking to achieve or experience through the process. Taking into consideration the following factors: creative appeal of the project, voicing & instrumentation, calendar availability, recent commissions, duration of the work, and budgetary considerations of the commissioning body, an estimate is crafted. This may be a fee range or an exact figure depending on the project. Fees for a standard duration 3-4 part choral octavo tend to be around $3,000.

Who makes the decisions?

The commissioning party decides upon: Wording of the title dedication, Desired duration of the piece, Voicing and instrumentation, Style & mood, Vocal range limitations

The composer decides upon: Text, Musical setting of text

As the text is typically the starting point, it’s imperative that Andrea connects creatively with the text. The commissioning body is strongly encouraged to suggest meaningful text options, as frequently these options may work. However, the composer reserves the right to make the final decision regarding the text.

Are there any satisfaction guarantees?

Once the above details have been decided upon, a contract will be created before any composing is done to ensure that both parties are happy with the defined parameters and that all requests are clearly understood. As beauty and art are subjective forms, no guarantee is offered, but Andrea does her best to fully understand the commissioning body’s desires for the work and to honor those. It is not uncommon for her to send 1-2 page previews to commissioning parties as she begins to compose to ensure she is on the right track.

What is the time frame?

It is generally best to contact Andrea at least two years in advance of when the piece is needed for the first rehearsal. It will not take two years to craft your piece, but as Andrea is full-time faculty at the University of Colorado Boulder and frequently traveling for guest conducting and presenting, it may take longer for her to complete certain projects. Visiting the project calendar below can also help a potential commissioner to see what works are up next for Andrea

Will the work be published?

Most likely, but the composer reserves the right to choose whether or not to publish, and in what format. Andrea works with a variety of traditional publishers (Hal Leonard, Boosey & Hawkes, GIA, Carl Fischer, Walton, Santa Barbara, Colla Voce, and Pavane) yet is also venturing into digital distribution through new composer marketplace, MusicSpoke (www.musicspoke.com) Regardless of whether the piece is published traditionally or digitally, it is likely that it will be made available to others after your ensemble’s premiere of the work.

How Do I Get Started?

Send a commission inquiry directly to Andrea Ramsey:
Sending an inquiry is in no way binding. It just opens a conversation.
Please use the form below, or submit via email to Andrea: andrearamseymusic@icloud.com

Project Calendar

2015

· Anonymous project

· Allegro Choirs of Kansas City

· Lawrence Children’s Choir

· Tennessee Treble Honor Choir

2016

· Children's Choirs of Washington

· Voca Lyrica Women’s Chorus

· Chorus America Commission

· Crescent City Choral Festival

2017

· Florida All-State Elementary Choir

· Stanford Middle School

Andrea Ramsey successfully revitalized all the conductors and students with whom she came in contact at our state convention. She related to us and offered great practical knowledge. Missouri Choral Directors were sent back to their own trenches with fabulous ideas to use in rehearsals the very next day!

In addition, the leadership of MCDA found Andrea to be incredibly efficient, well prepared and extremely professional. This is was a welcome breath of fresh air.

When choosing a composer for the first-ever commission by the Missouri Choral Directors Association for the 7th & 8th Grade State Honor Choir, Andrea’s attention to text and beauty of line were the top reasons we asked her to compose for us. She inquired about our needs and met them expertly.

My Services

Option A

Option B

“Andrea Ramsey successfully revitalized all the conductors and students with whom she came in contact at our state convention. She related to us and offered great practical knowledge. Missouri Choral Directors were sent back to their own trenches with fabulous ideas to use in rehearsals the very next day! In addition, the leadership of MCDA found Andrea to be incredibly efficient, well prepared and extremely professional. This is was a welcome breath of fresh air. When choosing a composer for the first-ever commission by the Missouri Choral Directors Association for the 7th & 8th Grade State Honor Choir, Andrea’s attention to text and beauty of line were the top reasons we asked her to compose for us. She inquired about our needs and met them expertly. "

"Andrea Ramsey brings both expertise and excitement to her work as a choral clinician. Andrea represents the best of our ideals as choral leaders; the singers fortunate enough to be in her presence are the beneficiaries."

“Ramsey's music makes for a deeply satisfying sing. In "I See the Heaven's Glories Shine," her understanding of the color palette of the treble voice meets the rich imagery of the poetry. This is a composer with something to say and the means to say it. The women of the Michigan State University Women's Chamber Ensemble took refuge in this piece, returning again and again to the message of optimism & strength.”

Sandra Snow, Ph.D.
Prof. of Choral Cond. & Music Ed.
Michigan State University

"As an educator and conductor, the selection of high quality repertoire of substance is one of the greatest foundational factors of success. Dr. Ramsey's compositions provide content that is musically satisfying in technical concepts and elicits aesthetic response. She chooses texts carefully and sets them so they work for the singer and the listener."

Dr. Julie Yu
Co-Director of Choral Activities
Kansas State University

"One of the most talented ‘young lions’ emerging in the choral field. As a conductor and motivator, Andrea is among the best. As a composer and arranger, her works are always artistically set and meaningful. Her lovely music has reduced me to tears on numerous occasions."

"A master teacher, a master musician and a master composer. She chooses texts carefully and seems to have that necessary instinct to know what texts children will love. Her melodies are creative and memorable and her music will stand the test of time. She is a rare combination of talent and efficiency. Her energy and vibrant teaching ideas make her a first class composer and clinician."

Janeal Krehbiel
Founder,
Lawrence Children's Choir

“Ramsey's music makes for a deeply satisfying sing. In "I See the Heaven's Glories Shine," her understanding of the color palette of the treble voice meets the rich imagery of the poetry. This is a composer with something to say and the means to say it. The women of the Michigan State University Women's Chamber Ensemble took refuge in this piece, returning again and again to the message of optimism & strength.”

Sandra Snow, Ph.D.
Prof. of Choral Cond. & Music Ed.
Michigan State University

“Andrea Ramsey successfully revitalized all the conductors and students with whom she came in contact at our state convention. She related to us and offered great practical knowledge. Missouri Choral Directors were sent back to their own trenches with fabulous ideas to use in rehearsals the very next day! In addition, the leadership of MCDA found Andrea to be incredibly efficient, well prepared and extremely professional. This is was a welcome breath of fresh air. When choosing a composer for the first-ever commission by the Missouri Choral Directors Association for the 7th & 8th Grade State Honor Choir, Andrea’s attention to text and beauty of line were the top reasons we asked her to compose for us. She inquired about our needs and met them expertly. "

“...one of my favorite young composers of choral music. Her music shows great range-- lyrical, dramatic, beautiful-- and she has the rare talent write really fresh-sounding music but well within the capabilities of all kinds of ensembles. Her text choices are remarkable and varied. I'm always excited to see each new piece of Andrea's!”

"Andrea Ramsey brings both expertise and excitement to her work as a choral clinician. Andrea represents the best of our ideals as choral leaders; the singers fortunate enough to be in her presence are the beneficiaries."

Dr. Tim Sharp
Executive Director
American Choral Directors

“I've found that Dr. Ramsey's quality works are very appealing to a wide variety of age level groups. This rare feat is accomplished by very few and she will certainly be one of the most often programmed composers."

Dr. Joshua Oppenheim
Co-Director of Choral Activities
Kansas State University

“I've found that Dr. Ramsey's quality works are very appealing to a wide variety of age level groups. This rare feat is accomplished by very few and she will certainly be one of the most often programmed composers."

Dr. Joshua Oppenheim
Co-Director of Choral Activities
Kansas State University